We love the mix of modern and retro found in the Toronto home of interior designer and architect Stephane Chamard. The warm, eclectic atmosphere comes via classical architecture which is modernized with black paint and funky furnishings. We particularly love this interior because it looks lived in, not just some nondescript space styled for a magazine photo shoot. The home’s predominantly black and white palette boasts flashes of bold color here and there – an orange console table, a red lounge chair, and vibrant artwork splashing the walls throughout.
The cool, white walls are punctuated by thoughtfully selected furnishings – a couple of Arne Jacobsens Egg chairs, a Panton chair, and a sleek sofa, all in black. Adding further drama and detail, a black-painted fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and charcoal vertical window drapes accentuate the height of the space.
This sculptural sofa invites you to admire, and kick your feet up and relax in stylish comfort It’s tucked beneath a large picture window topped by stained glass.
The door casings, doors and baseboards are painted black – a modern take on a traditional detail. Classical architectural details, like arching doorways, moldings and medallions overhead, are elaborate in white.
The black and white kitchen is where modern meets country. The center island boasts dining-table features, like its strong square shape and carved legs. It’s topped with white marble, its grey veins leading the eye across its smooth surface. Shallow under-counter drawers provide storage without adding bulk. At the far end, an integrated sink sits within arm’s reach of the fridge and range. A row of pendant lights lines up overhead, each different from the rest for added interest.
We love the white, retro-style scale on display on the countertop. Behind it, an open shelf features a collection of simple, white dishware for an elegant, fashionable and functional display.
The range is almost hidden within the dark cabinetry and backsplash of the adjacent wall. The white plates mounted to the wall are simple, and evoke that country-kitchen feeling.
The dining area is a modern, casual space that catches your eye with its unusual 3D artwork display. The round dining table in encircled in a diverse collection of black dining chairs, each with its own edgy appeal.
Overhead, a paper-note chandelier lights up the whole room, so to speak.
The espresso colored baseboards transition into a dramatic, dark staircase leading to an upstairs landing – private, yet open to living areas below.
The stairs lead past a tall window, framed in espresso casings and featuring a stained glass panel. The window floods the upper and lower levels with bright, natural light.
This sitting room features a skewed bookshelf. It is an eye-catching spot to display a collection of books or an assembly of art, but even empty it is sure to catch your attention!
The interior doorway is topped by a window that lets light pass through without compromising privacy.
These older style downtown Toronto homes make the most of their limited footprint with a vertical layout – and lots of stairs. These original hardwood floors may be work, but they are full of character. The home wouldn’t be the same without them!
The bedroom stays true to the home’s signature style, with simple white walls, colorful artwork, and modern furnishings, in black. The black door frame, baseboards and drapes lead your eye up and down in an artful zigzag.
An intimate book-nook in this open, airy space…
Even the bathroom is awash in black and white – mostly white, mind you, with a beautiful claw-foot tub featuring an black exterior and white interior. A wide, white-framed mirror hangs above a pair of old-school pedestal sinks, Making up for the lack of counter space, two white side tables offer surfaces for all your sink-side essentials – soap, toothbrush, glass, comb. A trio of bare-bulb pendant lights dangled in front of the mirror, which doubles the illumination.
An open wall behind the bathtub offers an elegant spot to store and display.
We love the sink in this bathroom – an elegant bowl set atop a console, all in white. A large window floods the space with natural light, while the all-white interiors amplify it.
A top floor bathroom, echoing the white palette in its urban-style subway tiles and sloping wall, with a window carved into it. The white floor is framed in a border of black tiles.
An upper-level living space. The white pendant lights become a theme throughout the home, all in white but in a variety of different shapes.
Stephane Chamard
via Desire to Inspire
